Behind the Star

Behind the Star is the official podcast of the Orange County Sheriff's Office, the largest law enforcement agency in Central Florida. From forensics to dispatch to the deputies on patrol, we share stories and talk to the brave men and women of law enforcement.

It's Da Bomb - OCSO Hazardous Devices Team 06/21/2021

It's Da Bomb - OCSO Hazardous Devices Team What happens if an explosive is discovered in Orange County? The OCSO Hazardous Devices Team, or Bomb Squad, is usually called out to dispose of it. Lieutenant Chris Hall and Master Deputy Kris Brooks talk to Behind the Star host Jon Busdeker about explosives, the bomb suit and how the team gets to blow stuff up. /episode/index/show/behindthestar/id/19549427

Pulse Remembered - Special Episode 06/10/2021

Pulse Remembered - Special Episode Orange County Sheriff John Mina and Undersheriff Mark Canty discuss the Pulse nightclub shooting, how law enforcement responded and how the community can honor the victims. In 2016, at the time of the shooting, both Mina and Canty worked for the Orlando Police Department. It has been five years since a gunman killed 49 people and injured dozens at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando. /episode/index/show/behindthestar/id/19428722

Saving You $$$ - Economic Crimes Squad 04/15/2021

Saving You $$$ - Economic Crimes Squad The Orange County Sheriff's Office Economic Crimes Squad is responsible for investigating the crimes of identity theft, credit card fraud, check fraud, embezzlement and various other “white collar” type crimes. Detectives Brian Hummel and Jacob Devine talk to Behind the Star host Jon Busdeker wild world of economic crimes and how to avoid being scammed. /episode/index/show/behindthestar/id/18740000

Patrolling OBT and Beyond: Sector 4 Capt. Chris Barrett 04/07/2021

Patrolling OBT and Beyond: Sector 4 Capt. Chris Barrett Sector 4 of the Orange County Sheriff's Office is made up of mostly South Orange County, including the areas around Orange Blossom Trail. Captain Chris Barrett took over the Sector in October 2020. A native of Central Florida, Barrett has been at OCSO for 25 years. Barrett talks to Behind the Star host Jon Busdeker about Sector 4, the challenges patrolling the area and what he hopes to accomplish as Captain. /episode/index/show/behindthestar/id/18641381

Operation Quiet Nights: Stopping Street Racing and Illegal Motorcycles 03/31/2021

Operation Quiet Nights: Stopping Street Racing and Illegal Motorcycles Operation Quiet Nights is a multi-agency effort designed to stop street racers and illegal motorcycles in Orange County. Lt. Michael Crabb, the incident commander of Operation Quiet Nights, talks to Behind the Star host Jon Busdeker about the operation and how teams of law enforcement officers issued more than 1,700 tickets in two months. /episode/index/show/behindthestar/id/18551471

Meet the new Chief Deputy: Denise Demps 03/11/2021

Meet the new Chief Deputy: Denise Demps Denise Demps is the newest Chief Deputy at the Orange County Sheriff's Office. An Orlando native, Demps has been with OCSO for nearly 30 years and is the first Black woman promoted to Chief Deputy. Behind the Star host Jon Busdeker sat down with Demps to talk about her career at OCSO and her goals as the new Chief Deputy. /episode/index/show/behindthestar/id/18288419

Meet the LGBTQ Liaisons 03/01/2021

Meet the LGBTQ Liaisons The OCSO LGBTQ Liaisons are available to work work with all sectors and units of the Sheriff’s Office to identify with LGBT citizens and address their concerns. Lt. Brandon Ragan and Det. Mara Everson talk to Behind the Star host Jon Busdeker about the LGBTQ Liaison program, working at OCSO and how to sign up for the Safe Place initiative. /episode/index/show/behindthestar/id/18139838

Driving the OCSO Way 01/20/2021

Driving the OCSO Way The Orange County Sheriff's Office Law Enforcement Vehicle Operations (LEVO) section offers training designed to enhance the driving skills of OCSO deputies and civilians. Sgt. Michael Rosignol talks to Behind the Star host Jon Busdeker about PIT maneuvers, braking exercises and just how difficult it is for some drivers to go in reverse. /episode/index/show/behindthestar/id/17621879

Launching the Behavioral Response Unit 01/11/2021

Launching the Behavioral Response Unit The new Behavioral Response Unit at the Orange County Sheriff's Office pairs an OCSO deputy with a trained clinician from Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health. Sgt. Bruce Vail and Christin Edwards-Salinas discuss the new Behavioral Response Unit, how the unit will respond to calls and what the teams have encountered in the field. /episode/index/show/behindthestar/id/17498837

From Blood to Bikes - A Trip to OCSO Evidence 11/02/2020

From Blood to Bikes - A Trip to OCSO Evidence Every month, the Orange County Sheriff's Office takes in roughly 7,000 pieces of evidence. From firearms to bicycles to blood, a majority of the evidence is stored in a warehouse in Orange County. Evidence Manager Gene Bernal talks to Behind the Star host Jon Busdeker about the evidence process and how OCSO stores 500,000 pieces of evidence. /episode/index/show/behindthestar/id/16655747

Sector 6 - Keeping Walt Disney World Safe 10/07/2020

Sector 6 - Keeping Walt Disney World Safe Sector 6 of the Orange County Sheriff's Office is tasked with keeping Walt Disney World and the areas around it safe. Sector Commander Captain Bill Van de Water talks to Behind the Star host Jon Busdeker about the unique challenges of Sector 6, the growth in the sector and how deputies interact with tourists from across the globe. /episode/index/show/behindthestar/id/16306091

Nightriders - OCSO Evening Traffic Unit 09/18/2020

Nightriders - OCSO Evening Traffic Unit It's a different world on the roads at night in Orange County. The Orange County County Sheriff's Office Evening Traffic Unit patrols the streets in marked and unmarked cars, specializing in DUI investigations, street racing and more. Deputies Ernesto Martinez and Steve Hallock talk to Behind the Star host Jon Busdeker about what goes on after dark. /episode/index/show/behindthestar/id/16068380

How to Train a Deputy 08/20/2020

How to Train a Deputy From simulators to how to drive a patrol vehicle, training is ongoing at the Orange County Sheriff's Office. Cpl. Sebastian Santos of the Field Training and Evaluation Unit talks to Behind the Star host Jon Busdeker about how OCSO deputies train and what they do to prepare for the job. /episode/index/show/behindthestar/id/15690134

The Joy of Sketching 07/30/2020

The Joy of Sketching Bigger nose? Smaller eyes? Taller forehead? Master Deputy Timothy Horne can do it all as the Sketch Artist at the Orange County Sheriff's Office. Horne, a near 25-year veteran of law enforcement, talks to Behind the Star host Jon Busdeker about the process of sketching a suspect, how he learned to draw and how he works with victims on crafting a sketch. /episode/index/show/behindthestar/id/15413231

Taking a Dip with the OCSO Dive Team 07/17/2020

Taking a Dip with the OCSO Dive Team The Orange County Sheriff's Office Dive Team is made up of 20 members who are responsible for recovering items or people in Central Florida's bodies of water. OCSO Dive Team Corporal Bim Lowers and Master Deputy Billy McCoy talk to Behind the Star host Jon Busdeker about finding guns in lakes, how difficult it is to locate a submerged car and what happens when they find a body in the water. /episode/index/show/behindthestar/id/15250118

Victim Advocate Squad - Supporting The Victims Of Crime 07/14/2020

Victim Advocate Squad - Supporting The Victims Of Crime The sudden, unexpected loss of a loved one is a most difficult time for family members, friends, and loved ones of the deceased. When that loss is the result of a criminal act, suicide, or violent accident the tragedy becomes unbearable. OCSO Victim Advocate Koreen Baker talks to Behind the Star host Jon Busdeker about the Victim Advocate Squad and its role assisting crime victims or family members who have lost a loved one through violent act or unforeseen accident. /episode/index/show/behindthestar/id/15205832

Protecting Northwest Orange County 06/25/2020

Protecting Northwest Orange County Orange County native Captain Joe Carter oversees more than 110 deputies in Sector I in Northwest Orange County. Carter, who has been with OCSO for 30 years, talks with Behind the Star host Jon Busdeker about community policing, how the agency has changed since 1990 and why he loves his community. /episode/index/show/behindthestar/id/14968202

Volunteer Deputies - The OCSO Reserve Unit 06/03/2020

Volunteer Deputies - The OCSO Reserve Unit The Orange County Sheriff's Office Reserve Unit is made up of more than 70 volunteer deputies. A Reserve Deputy has the same “police power” as a full-time Orange County Deputy Sheriff. OCSO Reserve Chief Deputy Ross Wolf talks to Behind the Star host Jon Busdeker about the Reserve Unit and why it's beneficial to the agency. /episode/index/show/behindthestar/id/14682761

Homicide Squad - Cold Case Team 05/14/2020

Homicide Squad - Cold Case Team The Orange County Sheriff's Office Cold Case Team is tasked with solving cases that, for whatever reason, have gone cold over the years. Corporal Dave Nutting and Det. Kevin Wilson talk to Behind the Star host Jon Busdeker about the difficulty of solving cold cases and what OCSO is doing to bring justice to victims and their families. /episode/index/show/behindthestar/id/14422862

Wellness, Fitness and Health at OCSO 05/08/2020

Wellness, Fitness and Health at OCSO The wellness program at the Orange County Sheriff's Office works with employees in many areas of wellness, including fitness, nutrition, stress management, weight management and finances. Senior Wellness Analyst Valerie Reed talks to Behind the Star host Jon Busdeker about the variety of classes, programs and events OCSO offers its employees. /episode/index/show/behindthestar/id/14337689

Keeping Us On The Road - OCSO Fleet Management 04/23/2020

Keeping Us On The Road - OCSO Fleet Management The Orange County Sheriff's Office has more than 2,200 vehicles, from patrol cars to motorcycles. Fleet Management services and repairs many of those vehicles. Acting Fleet Supervisor Bob Jewell talks to Behind the Star host Jon Busdeker about how his team keeps OCSO on the road. /episode/index/show/behindthestar/id/14114309

Coronavirus: How OCSO Manages an Emergency 03/18/2020

Coronavirus: How OCSO Manages an Emergency Coronavirus and COVID-19 has dramatically changed life in America. At the Orange County Sheriff's Office, Bill Bartlett oversees Emergency Management and Homeland Security. Bartlett talks to Behind the Star host Jon Busdeker about how the agency is responding to Coronavirus, how it trains for a pandemic and what OCSO is doing to keep deputies safe. /episode/index/show/behindthestar/id/13604729

Protecting Animals - Agricultural Crimes Unit 03/12/2020

Protecting Animals - Agricultural Crimes Unit The Orange County Sheriff's Office Agricultural Crimes Unit is tasked with protecting domestic animals and livestock in the county. Sgt. Al Giardiello and Master Deputy Drew Risser talk to Behind the Star host Jon Busdeker about the role of the unit and what happens when someone is accused of animal cruelty. /episode/index/show/behindthestar/id/13524488

Gather 'Round...It's the OCSO Storyteller 02/26/2020

Gather 'Round...It's the OCSO Storyteller Behind the Star host and OCSO Storyteller Jon Busdeker passes the mic to Deputy Christian Marrero for this special episode. Marrero, a Public Information Officer, interviews Busdeker about the role of the OCSO Storyteller, how he finds stories to profile and how Busdeker ended up at the agency. /episode/index/show/behindthestar/id/13316237

A Q&A with Sheriff John Mina 02/20/2020

A Q&A with Sheriff John Mina Orange County Sheriff John Mina sits down with Behind the Star host Jon Busdeker to answer submitted questions from civilians and law enforcement officers of the Orange County Sheriff's Office. /episode/index/show/behindthestar/id/13236077

The Gurus of Guns - OCSO Forensics Firearms Section 02/12/2020

The Gurus of Guns - OCSO Forensics Firearms Section The Orange County Sheriff's Office Forensics Firearms Section is made up of specialists who test and review more than 1,000 guns each year. Behind the Star host Jon Busdeker talks to Firearms Specialists Amanda Vibert and Mila Tran about the role of the firearms section, how they test-fire hundreds of guns and what happens to "crime guns". /episode/index/show/behindthestar/id/13125113

Who let the dogs out? - OCSO K-9 Unit 02/07/2020

Who let the dogs out? - OCSO K-9 Unit The Orange County Sheriff's Office K-9 Unit is made up of 20 dogs and handlers. The specialized unit assists patrol deputies in apprehensions, tracking and more. Master Deputy and K-9 Handler Jeff Stinson talks to Behind the Star host Jon Busdeker about the role of the dogs, how the dogs are trains and how they help OCSO deputies. /episode/index/show/behindthestar/id/13064471

How OCSO Protects its Largest Sector 01/28/2020

How OCSO Protects its Largest Sector Sector 2 encompasses all of East Orange County for a total of 408 square miles, making it the largest sector patrolled by the Orange County Sheriff's Office. Sector 2 Captain Susan Wallis talks to Behind the Star host Jon Busdeker about the challenges of patrolling a place with more than 400,000 permanent residents. /episode/index/show/behindthestar/id/12921893

OCSO SWAT - Responding to the Most Dangerous Assignments 01/15/2020

OCSO SWAT - Responding to the Most Dangerous Assignments The Orange County Sheriff's Office SWAT Team draws some of the most dangerous assignments. The elite team is trained in the use of advanced tactics and specialized weapons and equipment. Captain Todd Payne and Lieutenant Dennis Ela talk to Behind the Star host Jon Busdeker about OCSO SWAT. /episode/index/show/behindthestar/id/12740258

Professional Standards Section - Internal Affairs at OCSO 01/10/2020

Professional Standards Section - Internal Affairs at OCSO The Orange County Sheriff's Office Professional Standards Section is, in essence, one of its quality control centers. Allegations of inappropriate behavior, misconduct, or failure to follow agency rules and policies are typically investigated by Professional Standards. Behind the Star host Jon Busdeker talks to Captain Carlos Espinoza of the Professional Standards Section. /episode/index/show/behindthestar/id/12690218

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